Looking for a silver lining in BGSU’s losing season

Coming off a win over Eastern Michigan, the BGSU Falcons were 4-3 and still in good position to finish with seven, perhaps eight wins. And then came Temple. Little more needs to be said about that disaster.

BGSU finished the season with a five-game losing streak, its longest such skid since 1997.

Other lows hit this season: BGSU’s first losing season since 2000, its first loss to a one-win team since 1980 and the first time I ever pretended to be a Central Michigan alum.

However, there is a quirky silver lining. It was the first year since 1997 where they didn’t allow an opponent to score more than 40 points in a single game. No, it doesn’t make me feel better either.

As tough as the season was, it shouldn’t be an indicator of Gregg Brandon’s job security. I’ve heard disgruntled murmurs from the BGSU faithful, but they seem to be more out of frustration from a losing season rather than an expectation to win every year. Because where on earth would BGSU get an arrogance such that the football team has to win at least nine games a year, or else?

Wait, it was that damn Urban Meyer, wasn’t it? He spoiled us with immediate success during his two years in Wood County. Even after he left and Brandon took over, the Falcons had a reverberating “We rule!” couple of years, including bowl victories.

So Brandon may eventually succumb to the Ron Zook Effect, which is having to follow a great coach and resultantly disappointing everyone by not being the second coming of Woody.

But hold on, you might say. We’re just talking about one losing season. The team is young, and Omar Jacobs left school early. Why blame the coach? Good question. Brandon has made a few questionable moves, such as rotating the quarterbacks like a DJ mixing tracks.

I heard a rumor that Brandon chose who would start a given game by closing his eyes and throwing a dart at the depth chart hung on the wall. (In all fairness, this rumor was started by me and I didn’t tell anyone about this theory until just now, so odds are it isn’t true.)

Brandon used Anthony Turner, Tyler Sheehan and Freddie Barnes at quarterback this year. Perhaps he knew what most of us optimistic fellows hated to admit — 2006 would be a rough year for BGSU. Maybe that’s the kind of cunning coach strategy needed for Bowling Green to win at least eight games next year. Or else.

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